Methods for recognizing gestures made by a conductive object on a touch-sensor pad and for cursor motion are disclosed. Tapping, drags, pushes, extended drags and variable drags gestures are recognized by analyzing the position, pressure, and movement of the conductive object on the sensor pad during the time of a suspected gesture, and signals are sent to a host indicating the occurrence of these gestures. Signals indicating the position of a conductive object and distinguishing between the peripheral portion and an inner portion of the touch-sensor pad are also sent to the host.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for recognizing a drag gesture made on a touch-sensor pad in a touch-sensing system, including the steps of: detecting a first presence of an object on the touch-sensor pad; comparing the duration of said first presence with a first reference amount of time; generating a drag gesture signal indicating the occurrence of a gesture if the duration of said first presence is less than said first reference amount of time; detecting a second presence of said object on the touch-sensor pad; comparing the duration between said first presence and second presence with a second reference amount of time; maintaining said drag gesture signal and repeatedly generating X and Y information for the duration of said second presence if the amount of time between said first presence and second presence is less than said second reference amount of time.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said touch-sensing system sends said drag gesture signal and said X and Y information to a host.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said X and Y information is positional information.
4. A method for recognizing a double tap gesture made on a touch-sensor pad in a touch-sensing system, including the steps of: detecting a first presence of an object on the touch-sensor pad; comparing the duration of said first presence with a first reference amount of time; generating a first signal indicating the occurrence of said gesture if the duration of said first presence is less than said first reference amount of time; terminating said first signal if a second reference amount of time passes before a second presence is detected; detecting a second presence of said object on the touch-sensor pad; comparing the duration of said second presence with a third reference amount of time; terminating said first signal if the duration of said second presence is less than said third reference amount of time; and generating a second signal indicating said second gesture after the termination of said first signal.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said touch-sensing system sends said first signal and said second signal to a host.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
March 24, 1998
July 2, 2002
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